FROM DIMENSIONAL TO NON-DIMENSIONAL SIMPLE STATES: A COMPUTATIONAL DESIGN METHOD FOR EARLY STAGES OF DESIGN.

The work presented in this paper was conducted during the research for finding a computational method for use in the automated design for hospital buildings. The method uses a heuristic approach and uses architectural shapes (or form) as a primary generator in the synthesis of form. This novel approach which introduces two design worlds - the dimensional and non-dimensional - offers a new possibility for incorporating multiple computational techniques to help computational design. In this paper, we introduce the 'simple states' - primitive shapes that exist in both dimensional a non-dimensional world and are proposed for use as instances in form generation of complex rectangular shapes in hierarchic design strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]